A molecular vacuum pump equipped with vibrating members is disclosed, for example, in EP 1 125 065 by Vanden Brande, et al.
Vanden Brande, et al, teach manufacturing a molecular vacuum pump by arranging a set of alternated dipoles inside a box communicating on the one side with a chamber to be evacuated and on the other side with an outside environment, through a gas inlet port and a gas outlet port, respectively. Further according to the teaching of this patent, the dipoles are obtained by means of piezoelectric elements fastened to respective supports integral with the inner wall of said box.
However, the Vanden Brande, et al do not disclose the important details on the operation of the vibrating elements and on how to obtain in practice the desired pumping effect.
Some attempts to manufacture vacuum pumps by following their teachings have given unsatisfactory results. Particularly, the power required for operating a vacuum pump based on the disclosed principles has proven excessive with respect to the attainable results.